Strengthen Your Immune System

Ward off illness naturally this cold and flu season:

1.     Get at least seven hours of good quality sleep nightly

2.     Engage in regular exercise (three or more times per week)

3.     Avoid sugar, it suppresses immune system function

4.     Eat a nutrient-dense diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables

5.     Manage stress

Massage is proven to enhance immune system function…schedule a session to feel better and to stay healthy!

Wishing you a healthful winter,

Mary

The Benefits of Massage

Massage doesn’t just feel good, it’s good for you!  Research studies done at the University of Miami School of Medicine Touch Research Institute have documented many significant benefits of massage:

·         Alleviates pain

·         Reduces stress

·         Improves immune function

·         Facilitates healing

·         Increases job performance

Massage has been shown to have a beneficial  effect on key systems in the body, particularly the nervous system, levels of neuroendocrine substances, connective tissue, and circulation.  These directly affect our “fight or flight” stress response, and the release of important chemicals such as cortisol (also known as the stress hormone) and serotonin.  This is why massage can help us relax, improve our mood, sleep better, think more clearly, and so much more.

So, why wait to feel better?  Treat yourself to a good massage this week…you’ll be glad you did.

Mary's Crockpot Oatmeal

Sunday mornings are always special. Here is one of my Sunday morning recipes.

8 cups of pure water

2 cups of steel-cut oats

Combine ingredients and cook in a crockpot on low for approximately six hours.

Makes 8+ servings.

This is a super easy way to prepare healthy steel-cut oatmeal.  Great for a cold winter day’s brunch -- maybe before a cross-county ski outing.  I eat mine with a large amount of cinnamon (which has many health benefits including the regulation of blood sugar; it’s also a strong antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory), and a sprinkling of raw almonds bits.  These act to lower the glycymic load of the oatmeal.  I also add up to three teaspoons of chia seeds, even better for you than flax seeds! 

Tip:  After the cooked oatmeal cools, put individual servings into freezer bags.  You can have prepared oatmeal quickly by reheating a portion.

Enjoy!



The Amazing Human Body

Massage therapists are required to take anatomy and physiology courses as part of their training.  Knowledge of human anatomy is fundamental to effective bodywork, especially in therapeutic massage specialties.  The more I learn about the human body the more I appreciate how miraculous and amazing we are!  I feel reverence for every body I am honored to touch in providing the ancient art and science of manual therapy. 

I would like to share with you a few facts you may or may not already know about your amazing body.  The human body has 206 bones and 684 muscles (there are some anomalies). 

Muscle names are often daunting, and fun to say once you know how to pronounce them!  One of my favorites, sternocleidomastoid, is a very important anterior neck muscle.  Muscles are commonly named for their shape, size (i.e. maximus), the number of heads (i.e. tricep), the location, the action, the direction of the fibers, or the attachment site (i.e. sternocleidomastoid). 

Muscles can be painful or less mobile when they become tight, also known as hypertonic; or ischemic, when blood flow and oxygen are impeded and metabolic waste products are trapped; fibrotic; or, they develop trigger points.  These conditions can be addressed by therapeutic massage.

Holding us all together, literally, is fascia, connective tissue.  This can become adhered.  Myofascial release is a bodywork technique that addresses the adhesions that can restrict movement and range of motion. 

By far, one of the most amazing qualities of the human body is its innate ability to heal. Entire books have been written on this subject.  Of course, our bodies have a much better opportunity to heal if we provide adequate building blocks (a healthy diet), and don’t poison ourselves with chemicals, tobacco, food additives, etc. that interfere with the natural healing mechanisms. 

I sometimes refer to a massage as a tune-up.  Just like you take your car into a mechanic for regular maintenance, your body may need the same periodic attention to keep it operating in top condition.  You don’t have to wait for a mechanical breakdown!

Treat your amazing body with respect…Be Well!

Mary